The Pizza Man Scores in Arlington Million

By Claire Novak, August 15, 2015 7:13 PM

Headline writers have enjoyed the easy puns with Illinois-bred The Pizza Man throughout his career, penning “The Pizza Man Delivers” and “The Pizza Man Gets the Dough” as he galloped to victory in minor races.

But the 6-year-old English Channel gelding gave them the biggest opportunity of all to write his name when he turned back multiple grade I winner Big Blue Kitten in the $1 million Arlington Million (gr. IT) Aug. 15 at Arlington International Racecourse, becoming the first from the Prairie State to win his home track’s marquee race. Watch Video

A homebred running for Midwest Thoroughbreds, The Pizza Man was sent off at 5-1 in a field of 13 runners, his odds no doubt shortened by local spirit rather than based upon his July 11 victory over the course in the Stars and Stripes Stakes (gr. IIIT).

Midpack early on behind pacesetter Shining Copper, he gave jockey Florent Geroux a few anxious moments on the turf course that earlier in the day had been softened by rain.

“I’m always confident when I ride him, he loves to win and knows where the wire is,” Geroux said. “But I had no horse the whole way. It looked like he was struggling over the very soft track.

“But when I put him outside he started to hold up and grabbed the bit again and I was thinking ‘Oh boy, he’s going for a big one here!’ He is a local horse and even going to the track there was a lot of people cheering for us, and I’d like to thank them.”

The Pizza Man made a strong closing move and took over to get 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.20 on yielding turf for trainer Roger Brueggemann. Big Blue Kitten rallied five wide willingly but missed by a neck, while Shining Copper held three-quarters of a length back in third.

“I thought I had a chance turning for home,” said jockey Chris Emigh, who nursed Shining Copper along through a mile in 1:36.48 after setting early fractions of :21.79, :46.75 and going a robust three-quarters in 1:10.84. “He tried to win.”

Worth $13.80, $6.80, and $4.60, The Pizza Man improved his record to 15-1-2 from 23 starts for earnings of $1,458,537. Big Blue Kitten brought $4 and $3.20 as the 3-1 second choice under regular rider Joe Bravo, and Shining Copper paid $11.60 at 27-1.

“I think I was on the best horse today, but he didn’t like the ground,” Bravo said. ” When ‘Kitten’ kicks, he’s a runner.”

Completing the order of finish were Up With the Birds, Elleval, Wake Forest, Belgian Bill, favored Slumber, Bookrunner, Quiet Force, Triple Threat, Legendary, and well-regarded Maverick Wave, who was vanned off. All ran under equal weights of 126 pounds.

The Pizza Man, out of the Lear Fan mare I Can Fan Fan, improved his record to 15-1-1 from 23 starts, with earnings of $1,458,537.

The Arlington Million is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” event, granting The Pizza Man an automatic entry to the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT) at Keeneland. Last year, Midwest Thoroughbreds claimed their first Breeders’ Cup victory with eventual champion male sprinter Work All Week, who was ridden by Geroux to victory in the Xpressbet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I).

“I can’t describe how happy I am. That was more emotional than the Breeders’ Cup for us because of what it means. I know it’s tough times right now in Illinois, so I hope we can help turn the tide,” said Richard Papiese, principal of Midwest Thoroughbreds.

As far as earning a Win & You’re In berth into the Breeders’ Cup, Papiese quipped, “We will have to read the paper and see if we belong.”

11:48 - Arlington Million XXXIII Stakes (Grade 1) (3yo+) (Turf)

Full result

1m2f, £357,692.31

1 The Pizza Man 59/10
2 Big Blue Kitten 3/1J
3 Shining Copper 27/1

13 ran Distances: nk, ¾l, 1½l
TIME 2m 2.20s

Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Roger Brueggemann

PARI-MUTUEL (all including 2 usd stake): WIN 13.80
PLACE (1-2) 6.80, 4.00
SHOW (1-2-3) 4.60, 3.20, 11.60
SF 60.40

Highland Reel

Highland Reel striding clear under Seamie Heffernan

PICTURE: Four-Footed Photos

Highland reels in Secretariat rivals

BY NICHOLAS GODFREY 7:47AM 16 AUG 2015

Report: USA, Saturday

Arlington Park: Secretariat Stakes (Grade 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo

CLASS told as Gordon Stakes winner Highland Reel (Aidan O’Brien/Seamie Heffernan) bolted up in the Secretariat Stakes, the first of three Grade 1 events at Arlington’s International Festival of Racing.

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In a dominant performance as the rain started to pour in Chicago, the son of Galileo made all to score by five and a quarter lengths to become Ballydoyle’s fourth winner of this $450,000 contest following Ciro (2000), Treasure Beach (2011) and Adelaide (2014).

Highland Reel was allowed to set easy fractions (24.53s, 50.09s, 1m14.72s) after being sent straight to the front by Seamie Heffernan and not being put under any sort of pressure, though admittedly he was helped when leading home contender Force The Pass, the Belmont Derby victor, jumped in the air at the gate and missed the break.

After that it was plain sailing for Highland Reel, sent off a generous 2.4-1 second favourite. Kicked on from the turn, he won in totally emphatic fashion in the Derrick Smith colours.

“There was so little pace in the race, if we couldn’t make the lead and then make all, we didn’t deserve to win,” said O’Brien’s on-the-spot assistant TJ Comerford, who said Highland Reel could follow in Adelaide’s footsteps with a Cox Plate bid.

Seamie Heffernan was having his first ride in the States. ”I was hoping to jump and have someone lead me, but when no one went, and he was doing it easily, that was fine,” said the jockey. “I couldn’t see much pace and he did it easy. I was very confident.”

Domestic pair Closing Bell and the favourite Force The Pass took second and third, with Italian Derby winner Goldstream meeting the first defeat of his career in fourth place.

Also on Saturday

Arlington Park: American St Leger (Grade 3) 1m51/2f, turf, 3yo+

European visitors got off to the perfect start at the Arlington International Festival of Racing with a one-two as Lucky Speed(Peter Schiergen/Andrasch Starke) struck for Germany, getting the better of Ireland’s Panama Hat in the fourth running of this $350,000 event.

Both visitors were sensibly ridden in mid-division as the locals set too fast a tempo before Chris Hayes produced the Andy Oliver-trained Panama Hat (racing without Lasix) as they entered the stretch. But although the Irish gelding ran on gamely, he could not hold 3-1 chance Lucky Speed, whose CV features a victory in the German Derby two years ago.

The winning margin was three-quarters of a length, with the favourite Hyper four lengths back in third. ”We knew he needed more distance and that’s what he got today,” said jockey Andrasch Starke, winning his first race in the US.

Chris Hayes, who rode Panama Hat, said: “We had a lovely smooth trip all the way around and he kicked off the turn but I probably just met a good one on the day.”

Saratoga: Fourstardave Hcap (Grade 2) 1m, turf, 3yo+

Beaten a neck in last year’s race, 8-1 chance Grand Arch (Brian Lynch/Luis Saez) went one better this time around by the same margin, running down front-runner King Kreesa before holding the late run of Ironicus to claim this $500,000 event.

Tags: A P O’Brien | Highland Reel | Lucky Speed | P Schiergen | ARLINGTON PARK